Throughout the past year volunteers have been querying when the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) Independent Review into Equity and Diversity in CFA and MFB will be released.

To recap, the VEOHRC Independent Review into equity and diversity in CFA and MFB was conducted in late 2016 and much welcomed by VFBV and volunteers across CFA, with an expectation that the final report would be released early in 2017.

It was with much disappointment that we learned in mid-2017 that the report could not be released due to action instigated by the UFU in the Supreme Court seeking to prevent VEOHRC releasing its report publicly.  The report was originally on track for release in about July 2017 but has been held up due to the UFU legal action blocking its release. 

Despite the Supreme Court providing a decision in early December 2017 dismissing the UFU application and confirming that the VEOHRC has acted within its powers in undertaking the work the report was still not released because following the Supreme Court dismissal of UFU’s application, in mid-January 2018 the UFU took further legal action appealing the Supreme Court decision in the Court of Appeal.  The case was heard by the Court of Appeal in April 2018 and advised it would issue its decision at a later date.

Subsequently the report has still not been released as at today.

VEOHRC have now written to VFBV informing us that the Court of Appeal has advised that United Firefighters Union Australia v. Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission & Anor has been listed for judgment this week at 10am on Thursday, 4 October 2018.

VEOHRC have advised that the commission will attend Court to receive the decision and will then be in touch as soon as possible after the decision has been handed down to notify us of the outcome.

The anxiety and frustration the delay is causing, particularly to people who participated in the review, is understood.  VFBV will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further advice as soon as a decision is known.  I encourage anyone who needs support because of the process associated with the release of this report to contact VEOHRC on 9032 3464 or visit the VEOHRC website and follow the prompts to be targeted to the appropriate support; seek support from our VFBV network; and/or discuss your concerns with your local networks.